tiltCALVPTUS TEEES. 173 



part of New South Wales, while some, including 

 Araucaria Bidwelli, or the Bunya-Bunya-tree, so re- 

 markable for its large, edible, nutlike seeds, and the 

 Australian Kauri, Dammara robusta, are confined to 

 very circumscribed or solitary areas. The absence of 

 superior spice-plants (as far as hitherto ascertained) 

 amidst a vegetation of prevailing Indian type is not 

 a little remarkable, for Cinnamomum Laubatii ranks 

 only as a noble timber-tree, and the native nutmegs 

 are inert. The scantiness of acanthaceous plants is 

 also a noticeable fact. Podostemoneee have not yet 

 been found. Many plants of great interest to the 

 phytographer are seemingly never quitting the north- 

 eastern peninsula ; among these the Banksian ba- 

 nana (Musa Banksii), the pitcher-plant (Nepenthes 

 Kennedyana), the vermillion - flowered Eugenia Wil- 

 sonii, the curious Helmholtzia acorifolia, the Mar 

 shal-tree, Archidendron Vaillantii (the only plant of 

 the vast order of Leguminosse with numerous styles), 

 the splendid Diplanthera quadrifolia, Picus magnifo- 

 lia, with leaves two feet long, the tall Cardwellia sub- 

 limis, and the splendid Cryptocarpa Mackinnoniana, 

 are especially remarkable. Ehapidophara, Pothos, 

 Piper, together with a host of Lianes, especially gay 

 thi*ough the prevalence of Ipomseas, tend with so many 

 other plants to impart to the jungle part of Australia 

 all the luxuriance of tropical vegetation. Of the two 

 great Nettle-trees, the Laportea giga,s occurs in the most 

 northern regions, while Laportea photinifolia is more 

 widely diffused. Helicia is represented by a number 

 of fine trees far south, some bearing edible nuts. 

 Doryanthes excelsa, the tall spear-lily, is confined to 

 the forests of New South Wales. The flowers of Ob- 



